UCC Sports Update

writes Liam GraingerRowing:A major congratulations to Quercus Sports Scholar, Margaret Cremen, who recently broke the Irish lightweight 2,000m record and became the first Irish lightweight woman to go under 7 mins. Margaret is currently studying Sports Studies & Physical Education, and has an exciting few months ahead of her as she attempts to qualify for Tokyo ‘21. It was a nice way to start off the year for Margaret who is attempting to qualify for the 2021 Olympics with a number of her UCC Rowing Club members. Margaret was competing as part of the U23 event of the World Indoor Championships, which were held virtually this year due to the pandemic.Other UCC students were also in action in the event, including Alex Byrne who won gold in his 2,000m category. Byrne, who has been rowing with Shandon Rowing Club from a young age, completed his race with a time of 5.55.3 and had been taking part in a High-Performance training camp in Italy in the weeks leading up to the Indoor Championships.There was also rowing success for the staff members of the university, with Sally Cudmore also competing at the Irish Indoor Rowing Championships. Sally, who rows with Lee Rowing Club in Cork and works as part of the APC Microbiome Ireland research centre, took 1st place in the Womens’ Masters 50-59, in the 1,000m and 1st place in the Womens’ Masters 50-59, in the 500m. Her performance in the 1,000m event was also a new Irish record. Sally also competed at the World Indoor Rowing Championships, which were due to be held in China, but instead went ahead virtually last weekend. Sally made the virtual podium with a Bronze medal in the World Womens’ Masters 50-54 in the 500m and took 4thplace, Womens’ Masters 50-59, in the 2,000mAthletics:At the recent Athletics Ireland Elite Micro Meet which was held at the National Indoor Arena in Dublin, UCC Graduates and former UCC Sports Scholarship recipients performed very well namely Phil Healy in the 400m, and Louise Shanahan in the 800m. Phil was also representing Ireland at the European Indoor Championships last week in Poland, and just missed out on a medal in a 4th place finish in the women’s 400m final. Joan Healy, Phil’s sister, was also competing at the event and is another UCC graduate. GAA:Congratulations to UCC Graduates Eimear Meaney & Aine O Sullivan on receiving All Star awards and being named on the TG4TV 2020 Ladies Football Team of the Year. Congratulations also to UCC Graduates Jamie Barron, Tadhg de Burca, & Dan Morrissey on receiving Hurling All Stars for their performances in 2020. UCC Graduate Conor Sweeney also received a Gaelic Football All Star award for his performances in 2020. Former UCC Ashbourne players Hannah Looney, Chloe Sigerson, Orla Cronin and Niamh Rockett were all included in this year’s All-Star camogie team.UCC Sports Scholarships:The Department of Sport at UCC has announced that the 2021/22 Sports Scholarship online applications will be available from Monday 1st March 2021. UCC Sport Scholarship Athletes will have access to a range of specific benefits including a funding bursary, access to support services – performance programme, coaching, physiology, sports science and academic support. Student athletes who are successful in their applications to the Sports Scholarship programme will begin by completing a performance plan which will provide an assessment of the student-athletes’ needs and requirements. A suite of support services will be available to student-athletes and allow them to fulfil their full sporting and academic potential. This includes access to expert Strength & Conditioning training, sports psychology, finance and time management workshops, Mental health support, and ongoing academic support. The key dates for the 2021/22 Sports Scholarships are the closing date for individual applicants on the 31st May, and the closing date for core team applicants on the 31st of August. Successful applicants will be announced in September of this year. Full details and application forms are available on the UCC Sport website. Intervarsity Competitions:The IRFU have confirmed the cancellation of this year’s All-Ireland League competition which UCC Rugby were competing in. Third-level GAA has also been postponed for the 2020-2021 academic year. Following last week’s GAA Congress, fixed dates have been put forward for the Fitzgibbon Cup which will take place on the eighth Sunday of the year, and the Sigerson Cup which will take place on the seventh Sunday of the year.